The Dark and The Light
by RoseWeasley111
Summary: Jedi Apprentice AU, takes place between ROTJ and TFA. Ben Solo is the son of a smuggler and a princess, Rey Kenobi is the granddaughter of an infamous Jedi knight. Both train under Jedi Master Luke Skywalker. Over the course of 10 years, they will change each other and the galaxy.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

 **I do not own these characters**

 **In this chapter, Ben is about 8 or 9, and it is 12 years after ROTJ**

Ben Solo stared out the window of the ship, trying not to think of his parents, or his friends, or his old life at all. Being a Jedi was cool and all, but he really just wanted his life to continue. It was fine the way it was going! Why couldn't anyone see that?

Luke glanced over at the young boy. Ben ignored him, knowing that his uncle could probably sense his emotions anyway. Luke frowned, but turned back to his view of the planet they were approaching.

Despite his negative thoughts, Ben couldn't help feeling excited as the planet grew larger. He was going to be a Jedi! It was the dream of every young child across the galaxy to train with the infamous Luke Skywalker. And to be escorted by the great master himself! Surely he could allow himself to feel some excitement!

Out of the corner of his eye, Ben saw Luke smile and knew that he had felt Ben's elation. Surprisingly, Ben didn't mind Luke's intrusion this time around.

"Are you ready?" Luke asked.

"Yes! No! I don't know!" Ben exclaimed. "What if I'm too old? What if no one wants to be friends with me?"

Luke laughed. "Don't worry," he reassured Ben. "We get lots of older kids join. And you're definitely not the oldest newbie."

Ben wasn't all the way reassured, but the ship had landed on a platform next to a beautiful temple, and he couldn't help but stare in wonder. The building was at least ten stories high, made of what looked like polished marble, and was carved with intricate designs. Looking closer, Ben realized that many of the designs were of what looked like hundreds of Jedi, united around the entire temple, protecting the inside. Green was everywhere, the walls themselves were covered in snaky vines blooming with colorful flowers. Trees grew in and around the temple, providing a shady cover for the apprentices milling around outside.

Ben felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up to see Luke smiling at him. "Ready?" Luke asked again.

"Yes," Ben confirmed, and with that the two walked out of the ship and into the Jedi Temple.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

 **This chapter takes place three years after the previous one, so Ben is about 11 and Rey is 6.**

 **Please review!**

Ben sat quietly on a cushion in a dark room. His assignment was to clear his mind of all thoughts and distractions, but so far he wasn't doing so good. He would get close to an empty mind, but then one or both of his parents, or some friend, or something from his old life would pop into his head. His focus would be destroyed, and he would have to start all over.

 _It wasn't fair!_ he thought. _Master Luke says he encourages love, especially towards parents and family, but in the last three years, I only got to see my home once. Why can't I be a Jedi and be with my family?_

Ben cracked open an eyelid and looked around. Finn, the older Jedi apprentice who was supposed to be supervising him and a couple other young padawans, were nowhere to be seen. Ben quietly got up and peeked out his door into the courtyard. Still no Finn. Now that Ben thought about it, he realized Finn hadn't been around much at all lately.

Ben walked out and looked over the side of the railing at the courtyard below. It was mostly empty, with only a few Jedi padawans strolling around. The smell of new growth begged Ben to go outside, and he glanced around one more time to make sure that Finn was not hiding out in some corner. When he saw nothing, he jumped over the balcony and landed cleanly on the courtyard three floors down.

A couple of padawans started when they saw him, but no one else paid him any attention, and Ben made it out the door without being stopped by anyone.

Once he was outside, Ben took a deep breath of the fresh air. The temple was nice and all, but Ben really wanted to just be outside and breath. Growing up, he had travelled with his parents many places, but his trips to Endor were his favorite. The Ewok village, high in the trees, had always relaxed him.

He made his way to the lake that took up a good portion of the grounds. A great deal of the Jedi spent their free time here, so it was somewhat crowded. But Ben knew that if you headed around to the opposite side and jumped over the creek that filtered into the lake, there was a small grove where he could be alone. Other Jedi could get there, of course, but Ben could see them coming long before they could see him, and could climb up one of the trees if he did not want to talk with them.

As he got about halfway around the lake, Ben saw Finn sitting by the lakeside. Ben started to skirt around him when he saw that Finn was sitting next to Poe, one of the few Jedi knights other than Luke. Finn was sitting quite close, in fact, and Ben smirked, knowing that Finn would be too busy to notice him for a while.

Ben jumped lightly over the creek and made his way to the hidden grove. He wondered if any of the apples on the tree were ripe yet. He doubted it, yet it wouldn't hurt to look.

As Ben entered the grove, he noticed that the apple tree was shaking slightly. He peered up and saw a small body towards the top, reaching for an almost-ripe apple. Ben watched as the young girl stretched farther and farther, and then lost her balance and fell.

Ben ran to catch her, but to his astonishment, she landed aptly on the ground, showing the skill of a much older Jedi, and stared dejectedly at the apple, still hanging from the top branch. As she seemed to not have noticed Ben, he began to back away, hoping to slip away and find another spot. Then he stepped on a stick.

The girl whirled around, surprised. Ben winced. The girl tilted her head and examined him.

"You've got a leaf in your robe," she informed him. Ben looked down and saw that he did, indeed, have a leaf stuck in his robe. He pulled it out and saw that the girl had begun to climb the tree again.

"Wait!" he exclaimed. The girl dropped to the ground and looked at him. He smiled at her.

"That apple looks pretty good," he said. "But there's a better one." Reaching out with the force, he pulled a shiny red apple from behind a cluster of leaves. The girl clapped her hands in delight as the apple zoomed towards Ben.

Ben caught the apple and handed it to the girl. "Thank you!" she cried.

Ben grinned. "No problem."

"What's your name?" she asked.

"Ben Solo," he told her.

Her eyes grew wide. "Like the rebel hero? Solo?"

Ben winced at the thought of Han. "Yeah. He's my dad."

"Woah," she breathed.

"What's your name?" Ben asked, hoping to draw the conversation away from his family.

"I'm Rey Kenobi," she told him.

It was Ben's turn to be astounded. "As in Obi-Wan Kenobi?"

Rey nodded. "I'm his granddaughter. I never got to meet him though. He wanted my mother to leave Tatooine when she was old enough, so she did. And then he died in the war and my mother doesn't want to talk about him."

 _No wonder she's so powerful with the force! Her grandfather was one of the most powerful Jedi ever!_ Ben thought.

Just then, a black-clothed figure pushed his way through the ferns. Ben and Rey jumped. Luke raised his eyebrows.

"Shouldn't you be studying?" Luke asked Rey. "I thought I asked you and Syna to go in the library."

Rey shrugged. "I was bored, so I came out here. And I was hungry."

Luke laughed. "You should still do your work. It's important."

"Ok," Rey replied dejectedly.

"Don't worry. You can come back out later. And I'm sure I could find something for you and your new friend to work on together," Luke told her, nodding to Ben.

"Ok!" Rey jumped up and down with happiness. "I'll see you later Ben!" She ran off to the temple, still clutching the apple.

Ben smiled as he watched her run off, but his thoughts were interrupted by Luke clearing his throat. "Shouldn't you be meditating?" he asked.

"Oh. Umm…" Ben stuttered, unsure whether to admit to skipping his duties or lie.

Luke seemed to sense Ben's thoughts. "Go back to your room and finish meditating," Luke told him, pivoting around and leaving Ben alone.

Ben sighed. Though he didn't really want to get caught skipping duties by Luke, he was very glad that he had decided to come outside, mainly because it meant he had the chance to meet Rey.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

 **This chapter takes place two years later. Ben is 12 and Rey is 8.**

 _Anakin Skywalker was a Jedi knight during the rising of the Empire. Originally a slave on Tatooine, Anakin was discovered by Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn and brought to the Jedi Temple. After Master Jinn was killed in battle by the Sith Lord Darth Maul, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Qui-Gon's padawan, was promoted to Jedi Master and allowed to train Anakin. Anakin was promoted to Jedi Knight shortly after the Clone War began, and both Jedi's served as generals during the War. During this time, Anakin secretly married former Queen of Naboo, Padmé Amidala, an act strictly forbidden in the Jedi Code of the time. Later in the war, Anakin had a vision of Padmé dying. In a desperate attempt to save her, Anakin turned to the dark side, believing that he could save his wife from the foretold death. Taking the name Darth Vader, he and the Emperor destroyed the Jedi and took over the council. After a duel with his former master Obi-Wan left him burnt and limbless, he was put in a forbidding black life-support suit. Padmé then gave birth to twins, unknownst to Anakin, and died of a broken heart seconds later. Meanwhile Darth Vader, unaware that his two children, Luke and Leia, were sent to Tatooine and Aldaaran, became the face of the Dark Side._

Ben turned off the holocron and sat pondering for a minute. _Would I ever turn to the dark side to save someone I loved?_ he wondered. He thought about his parents for a moment, but he had to admit to himself that they did not mean as much to him as they once did. And they would rather die than see him turn to the dark side.

 _But maybe a friend?_

Ben put up the holocron and was walking back to his quarters when a group of fellow padawans stepped out of the shadows. Ben looked up, surprised.

The leader of the group, Kahn, stepped forward towards Ben. "Watcha doing, Benny?" he asked in a taunting voice.

Ben ignored them. He knew from experience that it was better to keep quiet.

"Was little Benny in the library again? Was he studying up on the oh-so-important mechanics of a protocol droid?" Kahn teased.

Ben's hands curled into fists under his robe, but he continued to ignore the older boy.

Kahn pushed his way in front of Ben. "Hey nerd! When Kahn's talking, you listen, got it?"

Ben glared at Kahn, trying desperately to keep calm. "Move. Out of my way." he ordered Kahn.

Kahn looked somewhat surprised but recovered quickly. "What did you say jerk?" he snapped.

Ben breathed heavily but did not say anything. Kahn sneered.

"Yeah, that's right. No one tells Kahn what to do. Especially not you." Kahn spit at Ben and shoved him back. Ben staggered and Kahn's followers laughed.

"Hey!" yelled a high pitched voice. "Leave him alone!"

Ben and Kahn both whirled around. Rey stood in a doorway, a look of surprise and anger mingled on her face.

Kahn laughed. "Oh no!" he said sarcastically. "I don't think I can beat this little six-year-old!" Laughter echoed around the high ceiling.

Rey bristled. "I'm eight!" she snapped.

"Oh are you? Then why are you still a youngling?"

"Why are you still one? Oh, you're a padawan? I'm sorry, your temper and bad remarks led me to believe you were one," Rey shot back. Ben laughed and Kahn snarled.

"Teach the little girl a lesson," Kahn ordered a couple of his friends.

The bigger one laughed. "With pleasure," he replied.

"No!" Ben shouted, trying to run to Rey. Kahn laughed and pushed him back.

"We'll deal with you later," Kahn jeered.

The two padawans advanced towards Rey. Rey's face hardened with anger. Ben's eyes widened as he sensed what she was about to do.

Rey thrusted her hands towards the padawans and sent them flying across the hallway. They landed with a sickening crunch on the floor. The rest of Kahn's goonies ran at Rey.

Ben found strength inside himself that he didn't know he had. Summoning the force, he sent the three padawans careening in the opposite direction.

Kahn's eyes widened in surprise, realizing he was alone with Rey and Ben without anyone to protect him. He spun around and fled down the corridor. The padawans on the floor got up and ran after Kahn, casting fearful looks back at Rey and Ben.

Once they had all disappeared, Ben turned to Rey. "Thank you for saving me," he said gratefully.

"You shouldn't let them bully you like that," Rey told him. "Stand up for yourself!"

Ben shrugged. "I've tried. It's never ended well."

Rey opened her mouth to say something else, but was interrupted by a tall figure walking around the corner. A slightly shorter figure followed.

"Kahn informed me that you two have been fighting," Master Luke told the pair. Behind the older Jedi, Kahn smirked.

"Kahn and his friends were bullying Ben!" Rey exclaimed.

"They were going to hurt Rey!" Ben added.

Luke looked behind him at Kahn. Kahn gazed back defiantly, but his confident smirk was gone.

"Is this true?" Luke asked coldly. Kahn did not respond.

"Please go up to your quarters and meditate. I will talk to you later." Luke told him.

Kahn trudged away sulkily. Luke turned back to the pair.

"I am sorry that I did not hear about this earlier. Next time anyone is being bullied, you come tell me, understand?" Luke asked.

Ben nodded, not meeting the master's eyes.

"Even in such a circumstance, a Jedi should respond calmly, not resort to fighting," Luke continued.

"They were going to hurt Rey!" Ben exclaimed.

Luke nodded. "I understand," he told them. "Which is why Rey needs to be trained to better handle the situation."

Rey and Ben looked at Luke in confusion.

"Rey, I think it is high time that you became a padawan yourself. And though Ben is also a padawan, I think he's learned enough to be able to teach you a thing or two."

Ben's eyes widened and he looked at Rey. Rey's face, her entire body, seemed to radiate joy.

"Really?" she asked. Luke nodded.

"I need to go speak to Kahn now," Luke said. "I will talk to you later." With that, Luke twirled around and vanished. Rey and Ben looked at each other.

"Well padawan?" Ben asked. "What do you want to learn?"


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

 **Ok so this chapter came out way longer than I expected it to be, but here it is.**

 **Ben is 15 and Rey is 11**

"Can't you keep up?" Rey exclaimed.

Ben panted as he raced after the girl. Rey laughed and ran even faster. Ben smiled, then clutched his side and staggered. Rey paused and looked back at Ben, who was on the point of collapsing. Rey ran back to Ben's side.

"Come here slowpoke," she teased him, and helped him up. "Honestly, what's the point of coming all the way up here if you can't run?"

Ben began to walk back up the hill. "The point is to have a memorable view, not have the master pass out on the way up."

Rey giggled. "Well then I'm in luck, because you're not my master."

Ben sighed. "Where did you even learn to run so fast?" he asked.

Rey shrugged. "I guess I just can," she admitted.

Ben sighed again, but couldn't continue his argument as they had reached their destination. Ben turned to Rey.

"Are you ready?" he asked.

Rey nodded, all trace of the laughing, teasing girl gone. In her place was a strong young woman, serious and strong, overflowing with the force.

"Go ahead," Ben told her. Rey reached into her bag and pulled out the small metal mechanism. She glanced at Ben and he gave her a nod of reassurance.

Rey turned towards the edge of the cliff, looking across the the river and forest, into space. She held out the metal, closed her eyes, and pressed the button.

A beam of vivid green emerged from the metal, illuminating her body and the air around her. As Ben watched, she held the lightsaber in front of her, then slowly opened her eyes.

Ben smiled as he saw her eyes light up in wonder, gazing at the green blade in front of her. She looked at Ben, and he smiled.

"You did it Rey," he said. "You are a Jedi."

Rey smiled, and then suddenly collapsed. Ben caught her and looked down at her in surprise.

"Rey?" he asked timidly.

Rey's face contorted with pain. "Bad...things," she panted. "The….dark….side….. They….are….coming." Rey squeezed her eyes closed. "We….need….to….go….back."

Ben looked at her in confusion. Rey's eyes snapped open.

"Ben!" she cried. "You are….darkness!" Rey's eyes closed again and she fainted.

Ben picked up the girl and used the force to pull her lightsaber toward him. He caught it and put it in Rey's bag. He looked down at her face, still filled with pain, then up at the distant Jedi Temple. Anger filled him at whatever had caused Rey pain.

 _Good,_ a voice that seemed to come from inside Ben said. Ben froze.

 _Yes! Gooood. Use your anger. Strike down those who cause her pain._

Ben grimaced as pain blossomed inside his head. "Who are you?" he asked. "Why are you in my head?"

 _Strike them down!_ the voice said, but it faded from Ben's head.

Rey stirred in Ben's arms, and he looked down at her. "Are you ok?" he asked.

Rey nodded and got up. "What happened?" she asked him.

"You passed out, then you said something about the dark side. That they were coming," he explained. He decided not to tell her about the darkness that she saw in him.

"Oh." Rey was obviously still confused. "Well, I guess we should get back."

Ben nodded. Rey picked up her bag, and they headed back down towards the temple. Ben reached out with the force, trying to sense if there was anyone or anything unusual going on, but he felt nothing.

The two entered the Jedi Temple timidly, but nothing happened until they were passing the library. Master Luke barreled out and ran up to the two apprentices.

"Are you two alright?" he asked anxiously. Rey nodded but said nothing. Ben looked up at Luke.

"Rey felt the dark side. She said that they were coming. And she...she also said that I was filled with darkness."

Rey looked at Ben in surprise. Luke seemed to be lost in thought.

"I felt it too, Rey," Luke told the girl. "They are coming." He turned to Ben. "Be careful," he warned. "The pull of the dark side is strong. Your grandfather, Anakin Skywalker, he felt the pull. He tried to resist, but he was not strong enough." Luke placed a hand on Ben's shoulder. "You are strong. Do not give in."

 **SWSWSWSWSWSWSWSWSWSWSWSWSWSWSWSW**

Ben stared out the window, thinking about what Luke said. You are strong. The more Ben thought about it, the more unsure he was. The voice that had spoken to him, up on the hill, it was strong. Much, much stronger than Ben was himself. He had nearly wanted to give in, and all that he had heard was the voice. What if he met the person whose voice that was? Ben didn't think he would be able to resist.

Almost like it was summoned by his thoughts, the voice appeared once more.

Strike them down, it whispered. Half a second later, Ben felt himself almost bowled over by a wave of the force. At the same time, he heard Rey's voice cry out inside his head.

BEN! she cried out.

Ben shot out of his room and leaped over the railing. He almost flattened a young padawan, but he didn't look back. He could sense Rey's force signature ahead of him and he ran faster.

He barged into the room and looked around. Rey was nose to nose with a figure wearing a long cape and a hood covering his face with shadows. Her lightsaber cast a green light over her face, but the mysterious man was covered in red light from his own lightsaber. Behind Rey lay a small body. Neither Rey nor the man had noticed Ben.

Ben ignited his own lightsaber and lept to Rey's defense. But before he could reach her, the man flung her against the wall. Rey cried out in pain and Ben felt anger pulse through his veins.

Ben rounded on the man and attacked him, feeling stronger than he ever had before. He swung again and again, sending sparks everywhere. One swipe cut the top of his adversary's lightsaber off, and Ben kicked him, sending him crashing against the wall. Ben stood over the man and pulled off his hood.

Kahn.

Only it wasn't. His eyes were red, not their normal blue, and when he spoke, it was with the voice of the man in Ben's head.

 _Gooood,_ it said, using Kahn's mouth to form the words it wanted to say. _Strike me down!_ Complete your path to the dark side.

"No, no I can't," Ben whispered. "I'm a Jedi."

 _A Jedi? A Jedi is not powerful. There are many people coming. Many Sith Lords, trained in the way of the dark side. They are powerful. They will destroy everyone. You cannot stop them. But if you join them, you can save her._

Kahn's hand pointed at Rey. Ben looked at her unconscious form, lying next to the still body of her friend.

Ben felt like his heart was breaking apart.

 _You can save her!_ it said. Just one motion. _One second. It will all be over, and she will be saved._

"Don't do it!" a different voice cried.

Ben looked behind him and saw a silvery figure form. A young man, maybe in his thirties, a scar running through one eye, tousled brown hair, black Jedi robes. Anakin Skywalker.

"Do not give in!" ghost-Anakin pleaded. "Do not be me!"

"I need to save Rey!" Ben said. "You don't understand!"

"Yes I do!" Anakin insisted. "It was the reason I turned to the dark side! But fate is cruel. I was the one who killed her! The one who struck the final blow!"

 _KILL HIM!_ Kahn insisted.

"Do not give in!"

Ben squeezed his eyes closed and stepped away. Kahn's eyes widened in surprise.

 _So be it!_ he yelled, and grabbed Ben's lightsaber and threw it at Rey.

"NOOO!" Ben bellowed, making a desperate grab at the weapon. He missed and the lightsaber continued towards Rey.

Just before it hit her, the lightsaber deactivated. Both Ben and Anakin looked around in surprise.

Out of the darkness, another silvery figure blossomed. An old man, eyes filled with wisdom.

"Master," Anakin breathed.

Obi-Wan smiled.

"Did you turn it off?" Ben asked.

Obi-Wan shrugged. "From a certain point of view."

Anakin sighed. "Oh, Master. Not another point of view. You just confuse everyone."

Obi-Wan smiled again. "I seem to remember a certain man saying something akin to 'From my point of view, the Jedi are evil!'"

If ghosts could blush, Anakin did. "That was different!" he exclaimed.

"And so is this," Obi-Wan replied.

"So how did you do it?" Ben asked.

"My young grandchild is particularly strong in the force. Even when she isn't conscious. It was merely a matter of reaching out to her and telling her what she should do. Speaking of her, I believe Rey is waking up."

Ben's head shot up and he ran over to Rey. Rey opened her eyes. "Ben!" she breathed. "You're alright!"

"Yes," Ben whispered, hugging Rey deeply. "We're both alright."

Rey looked past Ben. "Grandfather?" she asked.

Obi-Wan nodded.

"Who are you?" Rey asked Anakin.

"I am Anakin Skywalker," Anakin said. "Ben's grandfather."

Just then Luke dashed into the room. "What happened?" he asked. "Father? Obi-Wan?"

Anakin smiled. "I think I'd better let these two padawan explain."

Luke seemed to notice Ben and Rey for the first time. "You two? What just happened?"

Rey started. "I was in here with Syna," she explained. "We were talking when Kahn came in. Only...it wasn't Kahn. It was someone else."

"A Sith Master," Obi-Wan added. "A particularly powerful one. He had possessed Kahn."

Luke looked horrified. Rey continued.

"He pulled out his lightsaber," she said. "And then...I don't know. It was all happening so fast. I tried to call Ben, but I don't think it worked."

"It did. I heard her, and I came running," Ben assured.

"I pulled out my lightsaber, but Syna was too slow. Kahn killed her," Rey resumed.

Luke looked down at the body sadly. "I'm sorry that she had to die. She was so young."

"Kahn came at me too, but I blocked him. We were fighting, and he threw me back on the wall. I blacked out until just a minute ago."

"That's when I came in," Ben picked up. "After he threw Rey back, I attacked him. I destroyed his lightsaber and forced him against the wall. And then…" Ben glanced at Anakin.

Anakin seemed to sense his pleading. "The Sith Lord tried to recruit Ben. He told him that many Sith Lords are coming, and that they will destroy all the Jedi. But if Ben were to join the dark side, then he could save Rey from harm. I didn't want Ben to follow in my footsteps. I appeared to him, and Ben spared Kahn. But the Sith Lord threw Ben's lightsaber at Rey."

Rey and Luke gasped. Obi-Wan continued the story.

"Rey is so powerful with the force, she is able to use it unconsciously." Obi-Wan looked proudly at Rey. "I reached into her mind and told her to push out with the force. It wasn't strong enough to alter the lightsaber's path, but it was enough to turn it off."

Luke looked at the two padawan. "You two did very well," he told them. "But I must ask. What happened to Kahn?"

All five Jedi looked at the wall where Ben had left Kahn. No one was there. Luke's face showed confusion, then a look of horror spread across it.

"The younglings!" he exclaimed. Luke ran out of the room, followed by Ben and Rey. A red glow shined from the end of the hallway. Luke shot towards it, then suddenly stopped and spun around.

"Go," he told Ben and Rey. "If you see any Jedi, gather them and take them away."

"No!" Rey exclaimed. "Master, we need to help you!"

"No," Obi-Wan told her. "Luke must face this challenge alone. You two were lucky to survive. More Sith Lords are coming. You need to run. Save as many people as you can. We will help."

From out of the darkness around Obi-Wan, many more ghosts blossomed.

"We need to spread the word," Obi-Wan told them. "Get as many Jedi to the ships as possible. Ben and Rey, the Sith Lord will be after you. You did not turn to the dark side, Ben, so he will view you as a great threat. Possibly greater than Luke himself."

"And he will use Rey to get you," Anakin added. "You need to run."

Ben nodded. "Come on Rey," he told her.

Rey turned to Luke. "You need to go too," she insisted.

"No," Luke said. "I need to protect the Jedi. Run while you can."

Rey nodded, her eyes filled with tears. Ben grabbed her hand and began to pull her away. Rey ran with him, looking over her shoulder at Luke.

"Run!" he commanded as the shadow of Kahn on the wall grew larger and larger. The Sith Lord's laughter filled the hallway.

A piece of the ceiling fell down next to Rey. Rey screamed. Ben pulled her away. The two ran for the entrance while the sound of Luke's lightsaber igniting echoed behind them.

"There!" Rey pointed to a small shuttle right next to the entrance. Ben nodded and the two raced inside.

Ben ran to the cockpit. "How do you fly this?" he wondered frantically.

"Try that!" Rey pointed to a red button in the middle. Ben pressed it and the ship raised off the ground.

"Woah!" Ben exclaimed as the ship tilted wildly to one side. His father had taught him how to fly most ships, but it had been years since he had been in one.

"Stabilizers!" Rey shouted, pulling on a lever. The ship leveled out and shot away just before the temple burst into flames.

Ben looked on in disbelief as hungry flames devoured his home. It was gone, all of it. The legend of the Jedi had ended. For all they knew, Ben and Rey were the last two left alive.

Rey sobbed softly as they looked one last time on their home. Ben put an arm around her shoulder and slowly pressed the button to go into hyperspace.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

 **I'm really sorry for not updating quicker, I've been busy.**

 **Anyway, Ben is about 16 and Rey 12**

Ben yawned and made his way outside of the fallen walker leg, squinting at the bright sun stretching across the desert. He and Rey had decided to temporarily hide on the unauspicious planet Jakku, a choice that Ben strongly regretted now that they were there. Ben had never liked sand, and hated when his father decided to land on Tatooine for some reason or another. It was so desolate and unexciting.

Ben looked back at the sleeping form of Rey. She was curled up in a tight ball towards the back of the leg. Above her were the marks showing how many days they had been there. Many rows, and even more tick marks. Ben wasn't sure exactly how long they had been there, but he hoped it wasn't for much longer.

Ben looked at the rapidly rising sun and sighed. He'd love to let Rey sleep, but they had to get working. Rey had pointed out a crashed fighter yesterday, and they had agreed to look around inside and try and find something valuable that had not been taken and sold already.

"Rey," he whispered, squatting down next to the girl. "Rey, it's time to get up."

Rey grumbled and rolled over. Ben picked her up and brought her outside, deaf to her protests. As she sleeply climbed onto the speeder, Ben grabbed a net and some supplies and tossed it on top of the speeder, then climbed up behind Rey and grabbed the controls.

Still-tired Rey leaned her head against Ben's shoulder. Ben unceremoniously shrugged it off. It was only cute for the first few times, he thought.  
By the time the pair reached the fighter, Rey was wide awake. And very chatty.

"What do you think we'll find, Ben?" she asked as they dismounted.

Ben shrugged.  
"I hope it's something cool. Remember when we found that Resistance Pilot helmet? Maybe we will find another one. Then you can have one too. Or maybe something cooler. But what's cooler than a helmet? Well, a lightsaber is, but we already have ours. Maybe a gun. A gun would be cool."  
Ben smiled as she babbled. She never lost her spirit, not even when they were stranded and near-starving on a desert planet in the middle of nowhere.

Rey climbed on top of the speeder. "I found the entrance," she told Ben, and vanished from sight.

Ben crawled up after her and looked down. Rey, about ten feet lower, looked back up. "I forgot my flashlight," she admitted.

Ben sighed and looked back at the speeder. Rey's flashlight gleamed in the net of supplies. Ben reached out to the force and sent the flashlight zooming towards him. He caught it and jumped in after Rey.

"Next time you have to go get it," he scolded her. Rey ignored him and grabbed her flashlight. The white light illuminated the dark hallway in front of them.

"Let's look..." Ben began, but Rey ran off without listening. Ben set off after her, wondering how she, for someone who was so tired a few minutes ago, had so much energy.

Ben caught up as Rey tried to pry open a locked door. "It's not going to open," Ben told her after watching her unsuccessful attempt for a minute. Rey didn't listen and instead began searching the floor for a key.

Ben sighed and looked around him. Three more doors stood around them. Ben headed to one to see if it was unlocked. Just as he was reaching for the doorknob, Rey's flashlight flickered and went out.

Ben heard a small gasp and Rey barreled into him. He grabbed her arm and steered her to what he thought was the exit, only to bump into a wall.  
"This way," Rey whispered, and guided him towards the exit.

Ben frowned. He knew she had used the force to find it, even though he told her not to use it when they landed on Jakku. The less attention they attracted, the better. He didn't know if the Sith that possessed Kahn was searching for them or not, but he didn't want to find out.

When the two were halfway out, Rey paused. Ben knew why. Even without trying to use the force, he could sense the bodies.

"They may not be alive," he warned her.

Rey shook her head. "They are. I can feel it."

The door was locked, but Rey opened it without a second of hesitation. Ben felt the reprimand on the tip of his tongue, but if the people were alive, like Rey said, they couldn't leave them there.

The door creaked open, revealing a cockpit whose windows were cracked and covered with sand. There was a crater in the floor, and one of the chairs was tilted towards the hole. The two seats and wide windows reminded Ben of flying with his father in the Millennium Falcon.

A part of the shadows moved, and both Ben and Rey jumped back. A young man slowly emerged, and turned around to give a hand to a person still concealed in the shadow.

Ben looked at the man, confused. He looked familiar, but Ben couldn't think of who. He wondered if it was another scavenger they had seen while trading, who was looking for parts and somehow got stuck. Then it hit him.

"Poe?" he asked. The man stopped.

"Ben?" Poe looked confused at the sight of him. "What are you doing here?"

"I could ask the same of you," Ben said. Poe frowned and was about to ask another question when Rey popped up from behind Ben.

"Who's with you?" she asked eagerly. Poe jumped.

"My friend, Finn," he told her. "He was hurt in the crash."

"I'm fine!" insisted a voice from the shadows. Poe grinned and Rey laughed.

Finn emerged, one arm in a sling. "I hurt my arm, that's all."

"Can you come with us?" Rey asked them. "All I have for company is Ben, and he's no fun. I want-mmph."

Rey's voice was muffled by Ben's hand, which he had hurriedly clamped over her mouth. Both Poe and Finn laughed.

"Sure," Poe told her. "If it's ok with Ben."

Ben shrugged. To be honest, he wanted some company, but he didn't want Rey to know that.

"Yippee!" Rey squealed. "Come on!"

Rey lead the way out of the ship, climbing the wall instead of jumping up. Ben was about to follow when he remembered Finn's broken arm.  
"Will you be able to make it?" he asked him.

Finn nodded. "No problem!" he used his feet to propel him upward, grasping with his free arm only for balance. He made it up without a problem and Ben followed him.

They were heading back to the speeder when Ben sensed it. A glance at Rey told him she had felt it too.

"RUN!" Ben shouted. Poe and Finn obeyed without question.

A second later, the ground exploded, knocking all of them off their feet. Squinting through the billowing sand, Ben watched as the ship was sucked into the ground and vanished without a trace.

After the dust settled, Poe turned to Ben and Rey. "Thank you," he said. "Both of you. You saved our lives."

"No problem!" Rey exclaimed. "Can you drive a speeder? I can, but Ben won't let me," she pouted.

"We'll have to walk back anyway," Ben pointed out. "Maybe Finn can ride it back, since he's injured."

"I can't drive," Finn admitted quietly.

Rey gasped. "Can I drive him? Please? Please Ben? Pleasepleaseplease?"

Ben sighed. "I guess."

"YAY!" Rey jumped up onto it and helped Finn up and zoomed off, Ben and Poe following.


End file.
